This study of Banco Comercial Português (“BCP”) raises broad issues relating to strategy by growth and acquisition and how market leadership can best be created and extended at home or abroad.

Toward the end of 2001, a group of investors is faced with the strategic decision of taking over (parts of) the bankrupt Sabena, the former Belgian flag carrier. To this end, the case describes the major crisis in the airline industry at the start of the new millennium, the competitive situation on the Belgian and European market and the chronic suffering of Sabena.

This case describes how Banco Comercial Português (BCP) has grown to become one of Portugal's largest and Europe's most admired banks by leveraging its technology excellence. BCP's success has been driven by the implementation of an effective strategy of technology-enabled innovations.

This study of Banco Comercial Português (“BCP”) raises broad issues relating to strategy by growth and acquisition and how market leadership can best be created and extended at home or abroad.

This study of Banco Comercial Português (“BCP”) raises broad issues relating to strategy by growth and acquisition and how market leadership can best be created and extended at home or abroad.

This case describes the dramatic rise and fall of Saatchi and Saatchi in the Advertising industry, based on their vision of scale, globalization and diversification, driven by an aggressive acquisition strategy.
The (A) case, set in 1988, is a condensed version based on the earlier INSEAD case by Sumantra Ghoshal and Alice Aves (INSEAD, 1989).

The (B) case provides an update of the subsequent events leading to the downfall and further developments up to 2002, with WPP, led by the former S and S Finance Director, Martin Sorell, coming out as the ‘winner’ in this global consolidation game.

The case describes the successful growth and internationalization strategy of Belgian Creyf’s interim business (temporary labour services) after initial internationalization debacles, which nearly bankrupted the original family company. It describes the ‘not me too’ – strategy of this player in an industry increasingly dominated by a few large European and even world players.

Case Writers: Anne-Maire DE JONGHE and Eline VAN POECK

The Alcatel Access Systems Division case highlights the issues and challenges, mainly in terms of product development and innovation, within a multinational organization traditionally organized on a country-based unit structure.